Support structure assemblies, such as cable tray assemblies, are well known for use as a support system for electrical cables, wires, tubing, piping or other conduits in buildings and other commercial and industrial facilities. Support structure assemblies provide support when significant distances have to be spanned and are typically suspended from the ceiling or walls. Support structure assemblies can be used to hold up and distribute cables in the same manner that roadway bridges support traffic. These support structures are an assembly of structural sections and fittings that form a rigid structural system for fastening and/or supporting cables. Such support structure assemblies are the structural component of a building's electrical system.
In many applications, support structure assemblies have to support several hundred pounds of cables and, therefore, must be sturdily constructed. Typically, these support structure assemblies are made of steel and the vertical supports are permanently anchored in the walls or ceiling of a facility. However, this has been found to cause problems when additional cables need to be run and the capacity of the existing support structure assemblies is completely utilized. In a crowded facility, it may be necessary to temporarily disassemble an existing support structure assembly in order to install additional support structure assemblies. This can cause disruptions in operations and can be time consuming and expensive.
The structural support systems currently used require each channel between threaded support rods to be measured and cut to fit in order to install a new support structure in an existing support system. In addition, it is usually necessary to stagger the elevation of each adjacent channel during the installation so that adjoining channels can be attached to the same threaded rod. The coupling brackets that are currently used in structural support systems are designed to be used in new constructions and are not easily adapted to modifications of existing structural support systems. In most cases, existing coupling brackets require at least some disassembly of an existing structural support system before they can be installed.
Accordingly, there is a need for a coupling bracket that can be installed in an existing structural support system with a minimum amount of disassembly of existing support structures and disruption of operations. Moreover, there is a need for a coupling bracket that facilitates modular construction of a structural support system in confined spaces without an excessive amount of cutting and fitting of the components.